It would be amazing if it were not coming from the quarter that it is. Australians are the worst winners and losers in sport. The pitch is the same for both teams. If Australia had won the toss and batted first would we be hearing such cribbing?
Ponting on the brink of being the first Australian to captain two Ashes losing tours to England.
[quote=“Bandage”]Just watching the Ashes highlights. Alec Stewart obviously knows The Oval better than most and he reckons it’s a formality for England and Wales to win this now. He can’t see Australia getting close to 230, which is the current lead, given the way the pitch is deteriorating.
QUOTE]
Jim Maxwell the Aussie radio guy said the same tonight on TMS reckons it is all over. But still potential for another twist. E&W would like at least another 100-150 of a lead. Truly this is a feast of sport.
Yes, they’ll be looking to set as improbable a target as possible to really make it a formality. I don’t think there’s a real benefit to simply playing cautiously and occupying the crease on this pitch as the ball can spit up or turn extravagantly at any stage to send the batsman packing. In that sense, I reckon Prior and/or Flintoff should be given the licence to play with real freedom and come out swinging the bat tomorrow. A quick fire 40 or 50 from one of these two combined with some more runs from the two not out overnight should put this well beyond Australia.
A really important fifty for Strauss - he’s been outstanding in this series.
Trott looks very, very good here again both in terms of bearing a physical resemblance to me and due to his presence and control at the crease.
Maiden test fifty for Trott. Well played, well played indeed.
Strauss just gone - he’s set up the second innings beautifully for the likes of Prior, Flintoff et al to come on and punch some quick runs.
[quote=“Bandage”]Maiden test fifty for Trott. Well played, well played indeed.
Strauss just gone - he’s set up the second innings beautifully for the likes of Prior, Flintoff et al to come on and punch some quick runs.[/quote]
question is how much will they set them. 400 lead looks on.
Any online link lads?
What do you reckon? They’re not even halfway through the test match so time shouldn’t be an issue, especially with good weather forecast. I’d say they’ll bat until they’re all out - they’ll just play with freedom and try a few shots safe in the knowledge that the lead is already very big. I hope Flintoff tees off here.
England will win and England will win with ease.
Where are all our Australian supporting contributors?
Probably looking at a lead of 450ish.
[quote=“Manuel Zelaya”]Where are all our Australian supporting contributors?
Probably looking at a lead of 450ish.[/quote]
Yeah bat away at this stage. Enjoy it.
Great entertainment there from Swann, 63 off 55 balls. Someone should tell Jimmy Anderson theres no need to be blocking up an end. His duck record has been halted. Trott after bringing up his century there 340/8. Lead is 512
Swann is a flaking cricketer. 546 to win.
They will need the greatest batting performance of all time to win this. Credit to Jonathan Trott for an outstanding test debut under significant pressure.
Another shocking result for Paddy Powers, from being biggest price England yesterday they have now bolted the door and go 1/16 England while most other bookies are only 1/6 or around there. Too late lads ye’ve done yer hoop again…
Australia batted very well there to reach 80/0 at close of play. No real chances of note but Broad and Swann looked most likely again.
Trott got the runs rather than the trots. The only thing that can stop Engerland now is the weather - surely. Hope it goes on until Monday just to keep the suspense going. It would be some craic if the Aussies could do an Edgbaston 2005 and bring it down to a really close finish. They were motoring along nicely enough this evening. Hope England do it though and I think they will.
Fuck it but I laughed when Ponting got that ball full in the face. Couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.
[quote=“sid waddell”]Trott got the runs rather than the trots. The only thing that can stop Engerland now is the weather - surely. Hope it goes on until Monday just to keep the suspense going. It would be some craic if the Aussies could do an Edgbaston 2005 and bring it down to a really close finish. They were motoring along nicely enough this evening. Hope England do it though and I think they will.
Fuck it but I laughed when Ponting got that ball full in the face. Couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.[/quote]
Difference being Australia were chasing 280 odd to win at Edgbaston. An early wicket or two in the morning will change the dynamic.
Australian batting stats for the series look good but they are deceptive. The majority of the big scores came when the pressure was off. On a featherbed of a pitch in Cardiff, at Edgbaston in the 2nd innings after rain had already ruined Englands chances of forcing the win. At Headingley after England had all but lost the match after posting 102 in the first innings.
The story of the series is when England have exerted pressure by posting what were moderate enough totals, weve had full scale batting collapses from Australia, the type of collapses that England historically specialise in. At Lords, Edgbaston & The Oval. Not one Australian top order batsman had the toughness to dig in and stop the rot.
At Lords in reply to Englands 425, Australia went from 102-2 to 152-8 - All out for 215.
At Edgbaston in their first innings they went from 85-0 to being all out for 263.
Then yesterday at the Oval they went from 73-0 to being all out for 160.
Langer would have been better advised drawing up a dossier for the current crop of soft minded Australian batsmen.